SHAVSHA occurs in the list of David’s officers in 1 Chronicles 18:15 as ‘scribe’ (RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ‘secretary’), an office made necessary by the growth of the court and relations with other states. His name, and the fact of his father’s not being mentioned, make it probable that he was a foreigner chosen to deal with foreign correspondence. His name was evidently unfamiliar; in the list of 2 Samuel 20:25 it appears as Sheva; in that of 2 Samuel 8:15-18 (otherwise identical with Ch.) Seraiah has been substituted; LXX [Note: Septuagint.] varies greatly in all passages. It is generally held that Shavsha is correct. Apparently in Solomon’s time he was succeeded by his sons ( 1 Kings 4:3 Shisha being probably only another variation of the name).
C. W. Emmet.